Voters thin out Oklahoma’s crowded federal races, send two contests to runoffs

OKLAHOMA CITY — General election candidates are set for Oklahoma’s congressional seats for all but two races where an August runoff will be necessary. 

U.S. Rep. Kevin Hern easily secured the Republican nomination for one of the state’s U.S. Senate seats with nearly 70% of the votes cast statewide. The seat was left open after Markwayne Mullin agreed to serve on President Donald Trump’s Cabinet as head of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. 

Hern’s November election opponent is still unclear as no Democratic candidate earned a majority of the votes. N’Kiyla Jasmine Thomas had 45% of the party’s primary vote while Jim Priest garnered nearly 24%.

Thomas and Priest will face off for the party nomination in the Aug. 25 Democratic primary runoff. 

Over 551,717 Oklahomans voted in the Republican and Democratic primaries for the Senate seat, which was the only statewide federal race on Tuesday’s ballots. 

Hern’s House seat, representing Congressional District 1, will also require an Aug. 25 runoff to determine the Republican nominee. 

State Rep. Mark Tedford, R-Tulsa, received 32% of the primary votes while pastor Jackson Lahmeyer had nearly 26%.  

The winner of the runoff will face Democrat John Croisant who did not have a primary opponent. Lahmeyer abruptly announced Wednesday afternoon that he was suspending his campaign. 

Oklahoma’s incumbent congressional delegation, all of whom were endorsed by President Donald Trump, easily secured their party’s nomination to head to the Nov. 3 general election. 

Incumbent U.S. Rep. Josh Brecheen, R-Oklahoma, had 79% of the votes in the Congressional District 2 Republican primary and will face Democrat Brandon Wade and independent Ronnie Hopkins on the Nov. 3 general election ballot. Wade had nearly 74% of the Democratic primary votes. 

In Congressional District 3, incumbent U.S. Rep. Frank Lucas, R-Oklahoma, had nearly 71% of the Republican primary votes. Voters in November will decide between Lucas and Democrat Suzie Byrd who garnered 67% of votes in her party’s primary.

U.S. Rep. Tom Cole, R-Oklahoma, easily secured the Republican nomination for Congressional District 4, bringing him one step closer to reelection with 71% of Tuesday’s primary votes. Cole will face Democrat Mitchell Jacob and independent Rocco Bonacci in November. 

Incumbent U.S. Stephanie Bice, R-Oklahoma, had no primary opponents and automatically became the Republican nominee for Congressional District 5. Bice will face Jena Nelson who won the Democratic primary over Trey Martin with nearly 57% of Tuesday’s votes. 

Independents Robert Henri and Austin Nieves will also appear on the November ballot for CD5.